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Future Classic Women Awards – Clara Schumann

Future Classic Womens Awards·35:59·11 Sep 2018·

Episode Summary

Join host Stefania Passamonti as she celebrates Clara Schumann’s upcoming 199th birthday with an intimate conversation about one of the Romantic era’s most distinguished pianists and composers. Clara reflects on her groundbreaking career as one of the first women to perform concerts from memory, a skill cultivated by her father Friedrich Wieck from childhood. She discusses the profound influence of her father’s teaching, her complicated relationship with her husband and fellow composer Robert Schumann, and the unique challenges of being a female musician in 19th-century Europe.

Throughout the episode, listeners will hear beautiful musical selections from Robert Schumann’s works, including the romantic “Widmung” (Dedication), which he gave Clara as a wedding present. The conversation delves into the fascinating dynamics of their relationship through the lens of Schumann’s “Carnival,” with Clara sharing candid anecdotes about pieces dedicated to other women that she refused to perform. Clara also opens up about her own compositions, her triumphant debut in London in 1856, and the remarkable moment when she conducted an orchestra—a practically unheard-of achievement for women of her time.

This episode celebrates Clara’s groundbreaking legacy as both a performer and composer, highlighting her resilience in a male-dominated classical music world and her lasting impact on music history.

Main Topics

  • Clara Schumann was one of the first pianists to perform concerts entirely from memory, a technique developed through her father's innovative teaching methods from early childhood
  • Despite her father's disapproval, Clara fell in love with Robert Schumann at age 9, and they eventually married; Robert dedicated his song cycle 'Widmung' to her as a wedding gift
  • Clara strategically edited pieces from Robert's 'Carnival' suite, refusing to perform movements dedicated to other women, showing her agency and boundaries within their relationship
  • Clara made history by conducting an orchestra in Düsseldorf when Robert was ill—an unprecedented achievement for women at the time, which she considers the highlight of her career
  • Clara debuted successfully in London in 1856 at the London Philharmonic Society, performing with conductor William Sterndale Bennett and finding greater acceptance for her artistry abroad than in Germany
  • As a composer, Clara created a Piano Concerto in A Minor at a young age but struggled with self-doubt about her compositional abilities, attributing this partly to the lack of female composer role models
  • Clara's career was shaped by her admiration for contemporaries like Frédéric Chopin and her navigation of being a rare female concert pianist and composer in 19th-century Europe

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Full TranscriptHello and welcome to Future Classic Women Awards. With me, Stefania Passamonti, on Women's Radio Station, the program wh...
Hello and welcome to Future Classic Women Awards. With me, Stefania Passamonti, on Women's Radio Station, the program where we search for the most amazing new female artists on the classical panorama. Today on Future Classic Women Awards, we will be talking to Clara Schumann, a concert pianist from Germany, a musician and composer considered one of the most most distinguished pianists of the Romantic era. Clara was actually born as Clara Josephine Wieck. She was born in Leipzig on September 13th, 1899. So next week will be your 199th birthday. Happy birthday! Oh, thank you. Thank you very much, Stefania. How do you feel at 199? Oh, like 25 again. Nothing changed. So next year is the 200 years from your birth. So we expect a lot of celebration. Yeah, I hope so. I hope so. Well, yeah, absolutely. So touring and concerts and everything. Why do you think you're considered one of the most important women in classical music? Why? Uh, well, I reckon there are not many other, um, women playing, um, but, um, I noticed that quite a few in, in Paris, but it's not very, very common in Germany or normally to meet other colleagues, um, that's, that are female, the women that play and compose especially. Yeah, so we, we know you, you made actually history you changed the way of performing because you were one of the first ones to perform in concerts without music, by heart. Yes, yes, indeed. And that was thanks to your dad, right? Yes, because my dad raised me as a concert pianist since I was very, very young, from the cradle really. I was 3 or 4 years old when I started playing, before starting speaking. And, um, And yeah, he told me to play from memory mainly. Yes. So how was it to have a father as a teacher at the same time? It was strange sometimes because the two figures never melted completely into one, merged into one. But my father gave me— was everything to me as a father figure, as a teacher, and It was great to have him with me on tour all the time, and he taught me everything about concertizing and managing. It was like a heritage being passed on. Let's say he made you the woman you are today. Totally, definitely. Yes, I agree. And what about your husband, the famous composer Robert Schumann? Mm-hmm. How was it? I mean, you met quite young, right? Oh yes. I met him when I was only 9 years old. Was it love at first sight? Yeah, I should say that. Yeah. Even though I was, I was really young, but I, I, when I look retrospectively, yes, definitely love at first sight. Um, yes. Um. I mean, what did your dad thought about it? Oh, my dad, my father never liked Robert. He thought he was weak and not talented, which is wrong, of course. No, my father never liked Robert. Never. No. But he did come and live with you, right? For a few years to study with your dad. Yes. Yes. He came to study with my father because Robert admired my father's teaching and he wanted to become a a popular pianist himself before he decided to become a composer due to his injury. But, um, he lived with us for 2 or 2 to 4 years. He boarded with us. So, well, um, I know you were writing to each other with Robert. What was your favorite piece by Robert? Ah, well, I love many pieces, of course, but, um, I should say that my favorite one is is the one that he gave me as a wedding present. It's called Widmung, which means in English means dedication, devotion. So it's the first song of a long cycle of songs, 26, that he dedicated to me for our wedding. Wow. Okay. How about we listen to it then, shall we? Oh, I would love that. All right. So this is Widmung by Schumann with the transcription by Clara, yourself, and then actually Liszt. There is another piece by Robert Schumann that I know you performed a lot in concert, and there is some gossip about the version that you were playing. Yes, yes, indeed. It's, um, I think you refer to the Carnival. Yes, the Carnival of Stein. I mean, no one could hear it. I loved it, but, uh, definitely there were pieces there, let's put it that way, I would not be pleased to play. Um, yes. And what was Robert saying? Uh, he would laugh, and then of course he would not understand, but, uh, I could not play some of those. All right, well, dedicated to other women. So I can't really understand. You wouldn't do that either, would you? Do you mean, yeah, so for example, I mean, in— you mean, shall we talk about like Coquette? Oh no, please, let's not talk about Coquette. He even dedicated a piece to someone called Coquette. So, or many others, to be honest. Yes, yes, several ones. Yes. I would not like to play, play those pieces. Well, would you mind if actually we hear one of them, for example, Coquette? Uh, you have to, but possibly not play by— surely not play by me. All right, let's listen to Coquette. Yeah, she was pretty cheeky, was she? Was she indeed? Yes. There is another one instead, is actually dedicated to you, is Chiarina. Yes, of course. But he could have done a better job with that, I suppose. Yeah, yeah, it's not, it's not a cheeky Chiarina, isn't it? Uh, it's quite an annoying one. Let's listen to Kirina then. Well, yes, but it— this is one of the most beautiful of the portrait of the carnival, and I think it's full of passion and really represent your character. Oh, really? Really? And yes, I want that. Well, I guess, I mean In the carnival, there is another character that is Florestano. I know you mentioned that your favorite was Eusebio, that is the tender side of Robert, right? Yes, absolutely. Florestano is the hot one. And so I guess you must have had some good discussion or argument between you two. Yes. Would you like to listen? Shall we listen to Florestano? Yes, please. You can tell why people always thought it was a torment relationship between us, instead from the music. Yeah, indeed. But, um, there was another, another piece that I really, really, really loved from the carnival, um, that was Chopin. Chopin? I don't know if you know Chopin. Yes, dedicated to Frédéric Chopin. And, uh, they were rivals, right? Uh, yes. I mean, they were born, um, they were the same age, Robert and Chopin. And I, I really admire Chopin and Robert as well, although this piece is is a little bit of a mocking, a mockery of his character, but he's still full of passion and admiration for Chopin. And that can also, you know, it's also Robert's quality and passion that I love in this piece, and it's typical of him. But, and also I have great, great admiration for Chopin, which which I played in loads of my concerts. So yeah, it's a beautiful piece. Yeah, let's listen to Chopin from Showman Carnival. Isn't it beautiful? Yeah, I'm speechless. It's really one of the most beautiful pieces in the whole carnival. There is another one I think that can compare to Chopin, that would be Eusebio. Oh yes, indeed. Eusebio is my favorite one. Yeah. Eusebio and Florence. It's so impassionate. Yeah. It's the two, it's the two sides of your husband, right? Indeed, yes, the two. Wonderful. We will be back after a short break. WRS, Women's Radio Station, Voice of Women Worldwide. Sarah's Universal Soul Show. What does your soul or spirituality mean to you? Welcome to Future Classical Woman Awards with me, Stefania Passamonte, on Woman's Radio Station. Welcome back, I'm Russ Caine. You're listening to In Conversation With on Woman's Radio Station. I'm Angie. And I'm Patsy. And we're open. To see what other programs we have on Woman's Radio Station, head to our website, womansradiostation.com. Mirai B Limited. We are a virtual PA consultancy. We provide remote administrative services. Our offering is diverse. We manage your calendar, we update your client database, we take care of your property in France and in London. We also offer bookkeeping and translation services. Would you like to know more? Please call 077 868 48 998 for further information. Mireille B Limited, making the life of the business owner successful. Struggling to get by financially? I was the same. I wasn't sure what we would do in an emergency. And then it happened. Bills were piling up and the kids needed activities to do over the holidays. Then I found Turn2Us. Turn2Us give practical help to get people back on track. Whether you've experienced job loss, struggling to find work because of a disability, or thinking of having a baby, they can help. Visit turn2us.org.uk. Women's Radio Station is a fresh new broadcasting platform driven by love and passion, connecting women Women around the world in a global network. Is all about diversity. From opinions, career, ethnicity, education. We aim to show the individuality of every woman everywhere. Providing opportunities and a platform for your voice. Women, the possibilities are endless. That's what makes us different. Do you dream of a wedding on the beach? Or maybe in the middle of vineyards? Imagine your wedding in Italy, the land of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Getting married in Italy in a venue that is magical and has natural beauty. Amoretti Weddings creates unforgettable moments. What you have to do is just relax and watch us make your wedding a real fairytale. Contact us now for a free consultation. www.amoretti.co.uk. With over 35 presenters, we have something for everyone on Women's Radio Station. Women's Radio Station is a not-for-profit community interest company. Supporting women is our passion. We're currently welcoming donations to help towards our running costs to keep this important initiative alive. To donate, simply head to our website. Every little will help. Welcome back to Future Classic Women Awards on Women's Radio Station, the programme where we search for the most amazing new female artists on the classical panorama. Today we are talking to Clara Schumann, a German concert pianist and composer. Clara debuted in the UK in 1856 to play at the London Philharmonic Society with the conductor William Stendhal Bennett. Clara, do you feel more pressure debuting in a new country or performing in front of an audience where you had maybe a previous success? Um, well, um, I personally, I personally don't find much difference between playing in Germany, my country, or abroad. And, and to be honest, I've been very, very— been very acclaimed abroad. And, um, but then I feel comfortable in both places. So, and I love been abroad. So perhaps, perhaps I'll say that I feel a bit more pressure being at home than abroad. Okay. Yeah. And well, in general, I mean, how was your, um, your debut in London? How did you like London? Oh, I loved London. I loved— I've been dreaming to come for, for years, decades. And then, and then, yeah, 1856, I finally managed to, to come and tour, um, in London. It was a wonderful experience, the way they treated artists, and it was wonderful. And finally conducting— sorry, playing Robert's music in England was wonderful, great experience. Why did you say conducting? What have you done? I never heard of a woman conducting, not at the time at least. It only happened once. It's just, it was just a Lapses. I just connected the music. And then what I did once, which was when Robert was very ill, I had to conduct instead of him in Düsseldorf, and that was probably the highlight of my career. It was only once, but it was wonderful. All those men just there being conducted by, by a woman. Certainly unprecedented. But yes, that was definitely a highlight of my career. Great moment. So, so you like orchestra then? You like playing with the orchestra? Absolutely. It's wonderful. And I know you composed a beautiful concerto. Yes. Yes. I was very young. Did you play it? Yes, I did play it. I did play it. And, um, but it's only, you know, it's, I call it Concertsatz. I was very young when I, when I composed it. People love it, but I always feel very aware of, of my, of my composition abilities. I always feel inadequate as a woman, I suppose. Maybe because you didn't have enough women to relate to at the time as a composer. Definitely, yes, I agree with that. But, uh, but even though I might say that my concert was quite I was quite pleased with it, and people appreciated it a lot. Yes. Well, I'd like to listen to it. Shall we listen to the Romance from the second movement? Wonderful, thank you. Wonderful. This was the Romance from the Second Piano Concerto, Op. 7, in A minor by Clara. What would you say, Clara, was your funniest or most embarrassing moment in your career? Oh, well, I wouldn't call it funny. But definitely embarrassing, as when I ran away from my father to marry Robert, and my father, who didn't like Robert and didn't agree with our marriage idea, started sending defamatory letters around theaters and concert halls, not just in Germany, all around Europe. And I had to go back and try and and make amends, or whatever he tried to, to ruin my reputation and Robert's reputation. So that was very embarrassing. Luckily it ended well, but at that time it was very embarrassing. I think this is a bit like the MeToo movement today. So the fact that when a woman has to, you know, deal with someone that, that's where she's not going to do what a man wants her to do, in this case was your father, and today is more about other men wanted different type of attention from women. But it's the same thing, then they discredit their career, they try to ruin their career. Probably. It was atrocious whatever happened, and it seemed never to end. And I, I can't imagine that being, being done to anyone, especially from your own father. Well, what was your otherwise, your most challenging moment then in your career? Well, I had a few, I had a few challenging moments, and certainly starting a family was a challenge to continue playing internationally. And but also when Robert was very ill and my family was already quite grown by then, I had a few children. We were in Dresden and, uh, it was very depressed. And I lost a child, um, was a year and a half old. And, uh, and, uh, I had a miscarriage in between as well. And I had other 5 children to look after and the revolutionary movements going on in Germany. And there was a lot going on and, um And, uh, yeah, not being able to play, that was because I had to look after all these little ones and my husband. It was very challenging. Um, and also probably one of the toughest moments being when, when my husband decided to hospitalize himself, um, in a mental asylum. That wasn't easy. That what is amazing is basically you're telling me, you know, being a working woman in such a condition with such a large family as well and still having to produce, you know, poetry with music, basically. It's very hard to be able to play. Um, yeah, totally. I didn't know what to do with my family. Yeah. Yes. And producing music was absolutely, um, impossible to focus and concentrate and to, you know, to compose, to write. Um, Yes. There is a piece that I really like from your leader. It's called "Sie liebten sich beide." Yeah, "Sie liebten sich beide." Yeah. They used to love each other. That's what it means. So it's sort of dedicated to your husband. Is it? Might we say that? Or it's just poetry? It is poetry. By Heinrich Heine. And but he definitely pictures a dark time of my life and our relationship. And I wrote in a moment of great difficulty, which is what I just said about the period when I lost a child and I still had 5 others to look after and husband was severely ill. And, uh, yeah, but they do say that in the darkest times, that's when the most beautiful art is born. So I'd love to listen to it. Let's listen to Sili Ben Sipaide. And this was the Lieder, Op. 13, No. 2, "Sie lieben sich beide." "Sie liebten sich beide." "Sie liebten"— sorry, I can't speak German— by Clara Schumann in an arrangement for solo piano. We will be back after a short break. Welcome to Women's Radio Station, the voice of women worldwide. Hungry? An average woman eats about 2 to 3 kilos of lipstick in her lifetime. Women's Radio Station, we want to hear from you. This is Women's Radio Station, you're listening to Avril Price with Kitchen Sink Spirituality. It's Anna Kennedy talking all things autism, and my guest today is Karen Nunn. I listen to Women's Radio Station. Women, The possibilities are endless. That's what makes us different. I'm Isabel Manvey, an executive coach. Do you want to change a negative into a positive? 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Hi, I'm Valentina Barbacci and I'm the Executive Director of Media Matters for Women. We're a registered charity operating in Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic Republic of Congo, and we produce and share podcasts via Bluetooth on mobile phones, focusing specifically on women and girls excluded from information due to extreme poverty. We empower those living in rural areas with media that transforms how they access, own, and share information. To find out more and be part of this movement, come check out our website at MediaMattersForWomen.org. With over 35 presenters, we have something for everyone. On Women's Radio Station. Women's Radio Station is a not-for-profit community interest company. Supporting women is our passion. We're currently welcoming donations to help towards our running costs to keep this important initiative alive. To donate, simply head to our website. Every little will help. Welcome back to Future Classic Women Awards on Women's Radio Station. Our guest today is Clara Schumann, a German pianist with a dashing international career. Clara, another musician was quite important in your life apart from Robert Schumann and your father. I think you mean Johannes. Johannes Brahms. Yes, Johannes Brahms. You know, a rumor says that, well, he was 10 years younger than you and you were quite close friends and he was quite handsome. And yes, I know the rumors. You heard them too? Yes. Okay, can we talk about these or still a hot topic? It's a hot topic all the time. Um, What about the groupmates? What would you like to know? Oh, well, it's— well, you know what they say. I mean, let's say that now you would be— you are a role model for many women aspiring to independence and strong will because you took your life into your own hands, if you know what I mean. Yes, yes, I did, and, uh, um, I believe I did, and I, I try to do it especially after, after Robert's death. Um, and, and Johannes, you know, rumors say, say loads of things, but, um, Johannes was a pillar in my life. It was, it was very important to me, for my family, to look after my children. And musically, he was like another, another Robert in my life. His music was, was extraordinary. Extraordinary. Yeah, we know you premiered a lot of his pieces in concert. So you had— you premiered a lot of his pieces, so you managed to bring his music to life in the concert halls around the world. Yes, his music was, and Robert's, were parts of my repertoire all the time. I promoted his music with loads of passion. And you were also composing music dedicated to each other, like Schumann did with you, Robert did with you, so you did with both Robert and Brahms. Yes, I did dedicate 3 romances to Johannes indeed. And 3 romances to Schumann as well, so I think you put them equally. Can we say that? Yes, yes, if you want to say that. Would that be a giveaway of his importance then in your life? Um, I don't know, but they were both very important in my life, and, uh, and I understand why people gossip about it, but, um, it was definitely a music relationship. Yeah, a musical relationship. All right. Well, you know, the soundtrack of this program is your Romance Opus 21 No. 3 dedicated to Robert. But there is another romance that I really— To Johannes. Pardon. Yes, you're right. To Johannes. There is another romance that I really love, the one you dedicated to Brahms. That is the No. 1. Oh yes, I love that one as well. Yeah. So that's, let's say, is like the first love. Not in terms of love, but you know what I mean. Well, composing love, right? Uh, yes, you can use that word. I mean, to be honest, music speaks by itself, isn't it? Can we say that? Yes, let's, let's, let's, um, people's— let's the audience decide what music tells them. All right then, let's listen to Clara Schumann's Romance Opus 21, No. 1, dedicated to her friend prams. And this was Romance, Opus 21, No. 1 by Clara Schumann. Now, Clara, let's say, let's say it out loud. You are not Clara, are you? Clearly not. So this is Elena Mattson, who is an amazing Italian actress and playwright. And we have been having the honor to interview Elena as Clara, as Clara Schumann, because Elena wrote a beautiful play on Clara Schumann. Yes, called Clara. Called Clara. And we're going to listen to it next week, because next week is 199th birthday of Clara Schumann. And you will hear more about actually Clara speaking from her play. So, so I'd like to ask you, Elena, how was to be Clara? How did you feel? You know, what would you think about Clara being here with us today? Would she fit in with the woman of today? Would she still far ahead? She was very far ahead at the time. She was, she was very much ahead of her time, and that's what's fascinating about her is also that She was quite rooted in that times as well, which, you know, which is natural, only natural. But at the same time, she was such a pioneer of things that even now are difficult for us, especially when you work in the arts, but not only. So she was incredible to me and she's very inspiring and she had a very eventful life and she's Fantastic. So I really enjoyed writing this piece. There is a mixture of facts, biography, and fiction. Some things are fictional. And yeah, I just, I really enjoyed it. Yes, absolutely. I can't wait to listen to the play that is going to be aired on the women's radio station every day for a week in honor of Clara. Birthday. Well, we will be talking more about this after a short break. WRS, Women's Radio Station, voice of women worldwide. Sarah's Universal Soul Show. What does your soul or spirituality mean to you? Welcome to Future Classical Woman Awards with me, Stefania Passamonte, on Women's Radio Station. Welcome back, I'm Russ Kane. You're listening to In Conversation With on Women's Radio Station. I'm Angie and I'm Patsy and we're open. To see what other programs we have on Woman's Radio Station, head to our website womensradiostation.com. Mireille B Limited, we are a virtual PA consultancy. We provide remote administrative services. Our offering is diverse. We manage your calendar, we update your client database, we take care of your property in France and in London. We also offer bookkeeping and translation services. Would you like to know more? Please call 077 868 48998 for further information. Miray B Ltd, making the life of the business owner successful. Struggling to get by financially? I was the same. I wasn't sure what we would do in an emergency, and then it happened. Bills were piling up and the kids needed activities to do over the holidays. Then I found Turn2Us. Turn2us give practical help to get people back on track. Whether you've experienced job loss, struggling to find work because of a disability, or thinking of having a baby, they can help. Visit turn2us.org.uk. Women's Radio Station is a fresh new broadcasting platform driven by love and passion, connecting women around the world in a global network. Network is all about diversity. From opinions, career, ethnicity, education, we aim to show the individuality of every woman everywhere, providing opportunities and a platform for your voice. Women, the possibilities are endless. That's what makes us different. Do you dream of a wedding on the beach? Or maybe in the middle of a vineyard? Imagine your wedding in Italy, the land of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Getting married in Italy in a venue that is magical and has natural beauty. Amoretti Weddings creates unforgettable moments. What you have to do is just relax and watch us make your wedding a real fairytale. Contact us now for a free consultation. www.amoretti.co.uk. With over 35 presenters, we have something for everyone on Women's Radio Station. Women's Radio Station is a not-for-profit community interest company. Supporting women is our passion. We're currently welcoming donations to help towards our running costs to keep this important initiative alive. To donate, simply head to our website. Every little will help. Welcome back to Future Classic Women Awards on Women's Radio Station, the program where we search for the most amazing new female artists on the classical panorama. Today is a special episode dedicated to Clara Schumann, and so we had fun interviewing Elena Mazzon as if Clara was with us today. Elena, how did you decide to write a play about Clara? Um, I wanted to write a one-woman show, and I wanted music to be involved, so, because I've always played the piano, and it was a big passion in my life, so I started researching female composers, thinking it's the best option for me, and then I learned about many of them, I researched many composers, and Clara really stuck out for, you know, for the eventful life she had, and how modern she was, and all this gossip around her love life, and she was fascinating. And the music is, is so beautiful and strange and, and contemporary in some ways. So I thought she was the perfect choice. That's how I bumped into Clara, really. What have you learned that could be possibly applied to your career as an actress from, you know, researching on Clara Schumann as a musician composer? Ah, um, well, I, I think what is interesting about, about Clara is that even though she was so successful, she had so much doubt about herself, mainly as a composer, not doubt as a pianist. She was so, you know, justifiably sure about her ability as a pianist, um, but she was always so unsure, and there's something that we We always have as artists, and I think female actors especially, or female artists especially, women. And now I think she should not have doubted herself. And I start thinking, yeah, maybe I shouldn't doubt myself either. I think she— that's what I kind of learned from her. Just don't doubt yourself. And because she did doubt herself, but she composed amazing music even though she thought it was not good enough. Um, so probably try not to doubt yourself will be good advice for myself. Um, yeah, I agree, that should be for everybody really. So what do you think about crossover arts then? So your play is a mix between— is a mix of art, acting, writing, playing. Well, it's— yeah, it's acting and music. Yeah, so it's two forms of art. Um, well, like, if, if you have the ability to to dance or to sing or to play an instrument, you're an actor, it's great to be able to use it if you have a true passion about it and you really want to use it to communicate something. In general, I think they're beautiful. There are more and more shows, performances that mix arts, and I think it should be encouraged more and more because it's interesting and arts don't live in different realms, they can be mixed. It's okay. Yeah. You had, you had, you already had a first live performance in London at the Woodstock Forest Festival, right? Yeah. It was on Forest Festival. Yes. From the Forest Festival. So let's say, what was the reception from the feedback you got from the audience, considering that the audience was coming to see a play? And instead got also music. You see what I mean? Like it's— yes. Like it's trying to open the door maybe for a certain type of audience to go to see a different type of— yes. Yeah, I think so. And I was really surprised to see so many people, not because I doubt myself, but because it's really hard to fill theatres these days. And especially when you're on your own on stage and you're not so well known. So it was, it was amazing to see a full house. And people who didn't know anything about Clara or music, and they loved it. They— I was really happy to see how engaged they were and how they felt that actually the music was, which is what I wanted, an actual medium of communication that interseccated with the words. That was the idea behind the play, so not to use it separately, to see, you know, an actor playing all of a sudden, but the idea was really to use this beautiful music to say something that words couldn't tell. And that message came through, and they loved it. They didn't find it heavy or inappropriate. It was just— it felt perfect. So that was amazing. And I think, you know, I think it can reach people that are not necessarily music lovers or strictly classical music lovers, and it's a way to to let this, this world known to people that normally don't know anything about it. And also because she was so, um, relatable as a character, I think, as a life. She had such a relatable life that people found it very modern, very contemporary, and, um, and that didn't make them feel like there was a gap between this 19th century German woman and them. That was fascinating. Okay, well, now time for the odd question, the question that I normally ask to our, um, Future Women Classic Women Award nominees. So, uh, what's your strangest hobbies to free your mind or relax? Um, I don't know, I don't know if it qualifies as a hobby. Probably I just lie down with my cat on top, pairing the stress off me. So I think that's Yeah, probably that one. Okay, okay. And what would you say are the pros and cons of your job in general, of your career in general? Pros and cons. Pros is the best thing you can do. I couldn't do anything else. Acting is the most beautiful job. It's just a privilege to be able to do what we do. And the cons, it is tough. It's a tough career. You know, you need to balance so many things, paying jobs and unpaid jobs, and, um, and, you know, to— but it's— I think, you know, the passion for this is what makes you really go forward despite the adversities. I think so, otherwise I wouldn't be doing it. What would you say then to an aspiring young student or aspiring young surf if you could go back in time? It's not going to be straightforward. It's not going to be a walk in the park, but just keep going, keep going. Don't expect anything. Wonderful. I would like to mention that on your play, you're actually playing live the music on stage. Yes, in the play I am, yeah. But, um, but you, Stefania, recorded it for me as well, which is amazing because I'm not that good. It's a secret. Yeah. Yes. Yes. So the, the, um, the single of, um, the soundtrack of the Future Classic Women Awards, that is the main soundtrack of your play as well, will be released next week together with, um, uh, your first radio play. The radio play of the first episode of Clara, and in honor of Clara Schumann's birthday, 199th year birthday. And there is other people involved in this play. Yes, absolutely. It's never just one, um, it's many people that without whom this display will never see the light. And starting with Katrina Kerridge, who's been my dramaturg and co-director, um, in the second second stage of this production. Colin Watkins, with whom I devised and did an R&D sponsored by the Arts Council in the first stage of this production, in my writing. And Katrina has been wonderful in helping me writing this piece, advising me for the dramaturgy. She's been amazing and a great director. Peter Warnock, who directed me for the radio play version, which has— for which we recorded parts of the play, and costumes with Yukiko Sakamoto, who's been wonderful. She just came for a few weeks from Japan and helped me from scratch. She's been just adorable. And you, Stefania, because without you I wouldn't be able to play the pieces so well and never great insight of the music and the history behind it, and also how to englobe this music within the words. So that was invaluable help. So I think without all these people, Clara, as it is now, wouldn't exist. So, and I'm very proud, I'm very proud of your play and, you know, giving voice to this amazing woman that is such an inspiration for everybody. So Thank you again very much, Elena, for today, for being Clara. And if you have any questions and you would like to ask us, to our guest, or nomination for our Future Classic Women Awards, please email presenters@womensradiostation.com or tweet us @WomensRadioStation for the chance to win 2 tickets for the final concert at the Future Classic Women Awards. A big thanks again to Clara Schumann, Elena Matson, for the great chat. Thank you. You've been listening to Future Classic Women Awards on Women's Radio Stations, live every day, 10 AM and 10 PM London time. If you want to listen to it again or catch up on our previous programs, you can head to the presenter page, Stefania Passamonte, Future Classic Women Awards on Women's Radio Station. Thank you for listening. Welcome to Women's Radio Station, the voice of women worldwide. Hungry? An average woman eats about 2 to 3 kilos of lipstick in her lifetime. Women's Radio Station, we want to hear from you. This is Women's Radio Station, you're listening to Avril Price with Kitchen Sink Spirituality. 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